Spirits of Starlight chapter 2 part 1

The wind whistled shrilly through the pines, whipping needled branches to and fro. The mournful screams echoed hollowly in the shallow canyon as several dark forms slid along, their eyes always casting furtive glances over their shoulders. 1

One figure strode boldly ahead of them, a terrifyingly powerful figure, which was far more sinister than any other in the band.
Farfalla was leading her wolves home.2

The raid on the human village had been successful. Now she traveled back with her kind once more, after spending the night clearing away tracks. 3

Man would hunt down those who attacked his villages and settlements, but wolves are wise creatures, and know better than to let the likes of him catch them unawares.4

Farfalla smirked to herself. She had accomplished what no other had: regained a precious item from the clutches of the enemy. Not one to laugh aloud, the wolf chuckled evilly in her mind. All was going according to plan.5

“Far, you’ll be walking on my tail soon if you don’t watch it.” A large shape stood on the path, yellow eyes aglow. 6

Farfalla snorted resentfully and trod on the wolf’s tail. “You should ‘watch it’, scum!” She snarled in his ear.7

“Leave Gyiane alone, Farfalla.” A small, wide-eyed pup scrambled up onto a stone and sat, staring directly at the larger beast fearlessly. 8

“Go back to your mother, whelp.” Farfalla hissed through clenched teeth. Her thick fur, golden in the moonlight, bristled dangerously. “Unless, of course, you wish to feel my fangs. Beat it!” Farfalla lunged forward, and the pup, terrified, fled.9

Gyiane, of the same family as the cub, was not the highest ranking of the wolves. He flattened his ears in disgust at Farfalla’s treatment of his sibling, but said nothing. 10

The she-wolf led her patrol on without a backward glance. Gyiane glowered at their receding forms; then turned away, muttering, “I can’t wait till that bitch meets her match. That’ll be a sight to remember!”11

12

The cave was warm and comfortable, an oasis in the cold of the canyon’s bed. It was impossible for me to move, I found, because I was pinned to the ground by a weight that far exceeded anything I had ever borne. 13

Snores and muffled phrases told me that the occupants were asleep. This would be my chance to escape.14

I struggled to open my eyes, then closed them immediately. Why was everything misty? Was I going blind?! I tried again.15

“Ohhhh…” My vision was poor, and clouded. Was I dead? But I was breathing, I was sure I was breathing. Do you breathe again in heaven?16

“Idiot, if you’re dead you have no lungs with which to breathe.” 17

I opened my eyes fully, looking about. Lying stretched out beside me was a wolf. No, not just a wolf. The wolf. 18

I wanted to die then. 19

Sykelv yawned, showing a mouthful of sharp, white fangs, and scratched at his ear with a back foot. I stared at him, trying to figure out what was going on. My vision cleared slowly, and I gazed about in amazement.20

We were obviously in a cave of some sort, lined with furs and the hides of animals. There were shapes moving about in the far shadows, some big and others small. 21

I saw that the she-wolf with the white paws was lying on Sykelv’s other side, her back to him while she talked with another she-wolf, who was much smaller than she. I heard her call the other Hyfaine. 22

The white pawed wolf had helped me, perhaps in a strange and unusual way, but she had none the less come to my aid. I watched her, lying gracefully beside her companion, front paws crossed and head held erect and proud-a real wolf.23

A jab in the gut interrupted my musing. Sykelv snarled and bared his fangs at me, annoyed. His face was only inches from mine. “Stop starin’ or I’ll rip out your eyes, little rat!” He thwacked me in the face with a heavy paw. I winced.24

“Ow! Hey, that hurt!” I reached for my face, then leapt up, shocked. I had no hands! 25

“Shocked me too, the first time.” The weight which had pinned me suddenly disappeared. I gapped, unable to say a word, as a woman rose and stretched. 26

“You should be warm enough now, right? Good. You’ll be fine if your pelt thickens. Until then, I can keep you warm anytime!” She winked.27

“You’re…not…wearing cloths…” I muttered, aghast. She blinked and made a face. 28

“Something wrong with that?”29

“Yeah, you’re…nude…”30

“So?”31

“So?! That’s disgusting!”32

“Oh, so my body’s disgusting to you?”33

“When it’s uncovered!” 34

“I’m a wolf, not a doll! I have no reason to dress.”35

“So you all…turn human and run around…like strippers?”36

A sudden burst of laughter caused me to turn my head. Rolling about, comical as ever, was the wolf Tucker. His gray pelt was as ruffled and shaggy as when I had first seen him, at the village. Tucker laughed so hard that he actually almost suffocated. Sykelv growled at him.37

“It’s not funny, Tongue-tucker. Knock off that racket before Far hears you and comes to see what’s up.”38

At the mention of ‘Far’, I felt a tremor go through the air. Every creature present grew quiet, and sat shivering in fear, trapped in thoughts I couldn’t comprehend. Finally, I felt the need to break the silence. It was unnerving me. 39

“Who’s Far?”40

I will say it now, that I forever regret saying those words. 41

A mere second after I spoke, a set of razor-keen fangs sunk into my chest. Eyes blazing a challenge, ears flat and mane bristling, an enormous she-wolf sneered at me. 42

Was she even a wolf? This beast had the body of a wolf, but all along its golden pelt ran thick, wavy stripes, like a tiger. 43

Its size was greater than even a lion, and it was defiantly more savage. The wolf withdrew its fangs from me and stared coldly into my eyes.44

“New wolves must find their place. You are weak. Beg for me to spare your life, and you may live. Or challenge me and be killed.” The she-wolf whispered in a disturbingly soft voice.45

“I…who are you?” I managed to gasp, before the wolf’s jaws clamped around my windpipe. 46

She spoke.47

“I am the chief of the war sections. Farfalla, they call me. Deceiving, is it not? That one such as me has such a beautiful name?”48

Sykelv snorted and rumbled, loud enough for all to hear, “Yeah, beware of the Butterfly, it kills. No joke, see for yourself. It has already learned how to take a bit out of ignorance.”49

Farfalla’s fangs withdrew again, and I collapsed to the ground, in pain. I waited for the female to retort, or launch herself at the somewhat smaller male, but she did not. She merely smiled.50

“Ah, Sykelv, as bitter as always. Pity you can’t see the shadows; I’ve noticed you still hang around that sad little bitch you found. Why not abandon her and come with me? I’ll ensure you’ll get your desires; your ambition will be fulfilled. Come, Sykelv, join me again.”51

“Don’t call her a bitch.” Sykelv whispered. I saw his eyes flash. 52

“I’ll call the little shit what I want.” Farfalla smirked, licking her lips as if savoring a kill. 53

“Don’t call her a bitch.” Sykelv repeated. The she-wolf ignored him, stalking past him to where the white pawed female still lay. 54

I watched them, wondering how I had become caught up in all this. I hadn’t even had to time to wonder where I was or how I had gotten there. 55

All such thoughts, along with the incident with the uncovered woman, were forgotten as I watched the huge wolf stalk around her intended victim. 56

I wasn’t aware of my own blood pooling around two reddish paws, where a human’s hands had once been.57